THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE CONCEPT OF THE “FIGURATIVE FIELD ‘CASTLE’” (BASED ON WORKS OF ENGLISH LITERATURE FROM THE LAST THIRD OF THE 18TH CENTURY TO THE FIRST THIRD OF THE 19TH CENTURY)

This article analyzes the semantic content of the concept of the “figurative field” in the English literature of the last third of the 18th century – first third of the 19th century. Based on existing scholarly research, the article formulates the definition of the “figurative field” applicable to the analysis of literary texts. It highlights the key properties of the figurative field “castle”, such as its structure, lexico-semantic basis, metaphoricity and associativity, dynamism, and functionality. The article proposes a classification of the functions of the castle in literary texts, including historicalgenealogical, plot-forming, psychological, genre-related, semiotic, metaphorical, and aesthetic functions. It also analyzes the material world characterizing the figurative field “castle” and describes its nuclear-peripheral structure.